The Slater Family Scholarship at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching has reached the endowment level of $25,000. Established with an initial gift in 2003 by Gracia and John Slater of Webster on the occasion of their retirement, the scholarship honors all their family members who have had careers in education.

“We decided to establish the scholarship because it is so important to reward and retain quality teachers, and because it is an opportunity to invite more teachers to come to NCCAT,” said Gracia Slater, who was director of development at NCCAT for 10 years until she retired in 2004. John Slater retired last year from Western Carolina University, where he was associate professor and interim department head of communication, theatre and dance.

The scholarship will provide funds for one teacher each year from either Jackson or Henderson counties to attend a seminar at NCCAT and provide $250 for the teacher’s use in the classroom.